Four Leaf Clover

Back To Life

Going back to my regular routine, and incorporating my diabetes, was pretty hard. I had a good friend named Morgan who was very conscious of my diabetes. Whenever I didn't want to eat something because I was unsure of the carb count, she wouldn't eat it either. Morgan and I have since had a falling-out and I've lost touch with her, but I was very appreciative of her efforts at the time.
I tried to take good care of my diabetes. I started eating low-carb bread and drinking diet soda, so that I wouldn't feel sick from eating food high in carbs. (I CAN eat any and all foods that a non-diabetic can. But some things, like regular soda, make me feel sick, so I just don't drink it. It's also generally healthier for anyone to eat low-carb.) But it wasn't always easy. There was one time when I was playing outside with my friend Amber and I decided to sneak out chocolate for us to eat. Of course, it wasn't such a big deal for Amber, but it sent my blood sugar high and my parents were extremely upset. That was the last time that I tried pulling a stunt like that.
Of course, there were always the stupid people who made assumptions about my condition. During a class birthday party, the birthday student wouldn't give me a cookie with frosting and instead gave me sugar-free cookies that tasted like sand. I know she meant well, but it was still upsetting to a seven-year old.
I got a lot of rude comments. Whenever my friend Mary saw me giving myself a shot (which I eventually learned how to do), she would scream, "Ewwww!" and avert her eyes like I was a piece of mold that she couldn't bear to look at.
People liked to stare. People liked to assume.
Every diabetic has probably heard stupid comments like,
"Oh, Type 1. Is that the good or the bad kind of diabetes?"
" You shouldn't eat that cookie. It'll make your blood sugar go high!"
"Oh, you're low. You better take some insulin."
"Oh no, you're low! Here, I have some sugar free gum!"